


Red Blood Beats an Iron Heart

by MocusPocus



Series: Thorvald Braus [1]
Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game), Original Work
Genre: Original Character(s), Original Fiction
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-19
Updated: 2019-11-24
Packaged: 2020-10-24 06:47:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20701679
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MocusPocus/pseuds/MocusPocus
Summary: Thorvald Braus is the only son of the leader of the Blood Eagles. A band of spiritual and naturalistic, monster hunters that live in a dreaded woods very few will cross into. Thorvald has spent many years learning about many of the monsters he will face, however none really are as gruesome and horrible as some of the nearby royals. Thorvald never liked royals much, until he meets the free spirited prince of Previa. The two find they have more in common than anyone would have thought and a friendship blossoms through the adventures Thorvald shares with the Prince who is forced to stay in his castle. When the Prince finally convinces Thorvald to take him on missions with him, what sort of trouble will they find themselves into.





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is the intro chapter to help get a feel for Thorvald's character as he is coming back from his mission.

His chest rises and falls attempting to bring his breathing pattern back to normal, as he limps out of the cave. Coming to a shady spot he checks the area around him. Slowly, he lowers himself to the ground and continues his attempts to steady his breathing. He reaches for his sword and pulls the remnants of his cape from his back and begins to clean the weapon. A smile crosses his face as he thinks back on the mission completed. 

“Just a few goblins my ass.” His laugh comes out as a bit of a wheeze as he finishes cleaning the blood off. Goblin blood was a sticky substance and the quicker you cleaned it the better. Looking at the oversized longsword proudly, he sees the black hair in the reflection sticking up every which way. He runs his fingers through it sorting it out, attempting to atleast get it to settle in one position. He had always kept his hair short, it was too wild and curly to be long. Maybe it was manageable, but not in the amount of time he would put into it, which was basically none. Taking his tattered cloak he wipes his face clean taking one last look at the blurry reflection before using it to push himself back to his feet and walking toward the area he left his horse tied. He makes his way through the woods noticing all his marking points he had left on his way to the cave. He tried his best to keep his feet from dragging as the drain from the fight started to set in, the soreness of exerting his body starting to take effect. The journey in had seemed much quicker than his current one as he finally returned to his mount. The bay stallion began pawing at the ground as soon as his master stumbled into the clearing. He smiles as he walks over and gently rubs the horse under its forelock. 

“Easy there Magni. I’m back, calm down.” The beautiful creature begins to relax as he cranes his strong and muscular neck towards his owner, and lets out a soft sound through his nostrils. The horse was a gift from his father after the completion of his first mission, and the two had become fast friends. The beautiful stud was larger than the average riding horse and taller than most men, which gave him a very menacing appearance. He was wild when it came to being handled by most people, but when it came to Thorvald the two were almost inseparable.

Thorvald begins to strap things to Magni and rummages through a pouch pulling out an apple. He takes a couple bites from it before extending his hand out flat and offering it to the horse, who happily ate it. Doing a final check of his gear and supplies, he lifts his left leg to the stirrup, bouncing three times on the ground to get enough momentum to help throw his right leg over. Taking a few moments to adjust his seat and doing a last check of the area he lets out a breath.

“Alright Magni! Let’s go boy.” He squeezes his heels into the beast's sides, as his hand turns the horse's head in the direction he wished to go. 

Before returning home, Thorvald needed to visit his employer to get his payment. The castle was only about a half a day’s ride, but the sky was already beginning to show the first signs of nightfall. Riding out of the woods took most of the last light from the sky. Pushing on until he found a small town outside of the forest, the lights burning in the windows serving as a beacon. There was music filling the small streets as people milled about in a variety of stages of sobriety. The town seemed to be a traveling stop as there were many inns and places to seek pleasure, but few actual houses. Thorvald rode through the streets keeping his eyes out for a stable, doing his best to not trample anyone. People began spilling to either side of the massive horse and taking in the odd pair. Thorvald was taller than most men by a head, and looked even bigger on the war horse. Whispers started to mix in with the music of the town as Thorvald dismounts in front of the small stable. Taking his time to care for Magni, unsaddling him, brushing him, and making sure his trough was filled with hay, he grabbed a few possessions and made his way into town.

Walking himself through town and sliding past all sorts of people he finally manages to make it to a smaller bar on the outside edge of town. It was a little more quiet and not as populated. As he walked in most of the men were closer to middle aged, resembling the majority of the men he worked with. Many of them sat around tables playing card and dice games, looking up from the games to watch him cross the room to the bar. Some whispering about the odd looking fellow. The bartender was a large man with a pot belly, the only hair on his body being a bushy mustache fixed above his smile.

“What can I get for ya?” He asks pulling out a mug. 

“Mead preferably, but I’ll take whatever you happen to have. I just want a drink.” he says with a small chuckle as he takes a seat at the bar. 

“Ah, long day of travelin?” He asks uncorking a bottle, the golden liquid making a small glug as it spills into the glass. 

“Some travel, and a lot of action. Makes for a pretty successful day.” The bartender hands over the glass, and Thorvald quickly drains half of the mug. One of the men at a nearby table watches. 

“Are you that youngin ', the king brought in to take care of them goblins?” He asks looking at him, the room went quiet now as they wait for the answer. Thorvald smiles and finishes the rest of his mug as he wipes his mouth on his arm. 

“Yes I am. Thorvald Braus of the Blood Eagles at your service sir.” He smiles widely, his canines that far were sharper than normal exposed. But the men don’t seem to notice as they start to murmur amongst themselves about the young man in front of them.

“You took care of that horde by yourself?” One asks, sounding confused. Thorvald nods.

“Indeed I did. I have been extremely lucky to learn from some of the best men in my clan. They are incredible fighters and I am very grateful for that.” This seems to please many of the men as they start begging for details. Thorvald gladly answered their questions as the men continued to buy him drinks as a token of their thanks, since the goblins had been an issue for a while. After a few hours, Thorvald goes stumbling out of the bar and heads to the place he would stay for the night. 

Upon entering the smell of perfume hits his nose. Fighting back his initial reaction to gag, he manages to speak with the owner and procure himself a room for the night. Turning down a long hallway toward the room, he feels the eyes of the girls watching him, coming out of their rooms in different stages of undress, some of them completely naked. He tries not to look at them, his whole face burning as he gets to his room, just wanting to take off his armor for the evening. Shutting the door he lets out a sigh and looks around. The room was small and a simple set up, the bed taking up the majority of the room which was the most important part. This bed would actually allow him to sleep a bit more comfortably, as it was bigger than most inns would have. Beside the bed was a small flimsy night stand with a menu, and then on the far side some hooks to hang your belongings for the night. Thorvald walks over feeling the drain of the day on his body as he starts to slide off his armor and stretches out his body. Slowly finding the hem of his shirt he lifts it up over his head. He hears his door open, and once he pulls the shirt off completely he sees a fraile little blonde standing in the corner. She is red in the face looking him over, her blue eyes searching all over his body and flitting away from him just as quickly as they came. He smiles at her and she almost visibly shakes herself out of it.  
“Is there anything I can get you sir?” She asks her voice almost too quiet and he nods. 

“If you could. I would love to have some water and a rag to wash up. Then if your kitchen is still open, I would like whatever you are serving tonight.” She nods and quickly exits and he sighs. Sitting down on his bed he pulls out a beat up and worn out journal. The cover an reddish leather, opening to a blank page he begins to record his mission.   
Just when he is about to finish the door opens again and the girl is bringing in the basin of water and a bowl of soup. His eyes go wide and his mouth almost begins to water from the smell of the soup. The lady walks over and sets the pitcher on the nightstand and climbs into bed beside him, taking the spoon, blowing on it, and moving it to his mouth. He gives her a bit of an odd glance. 

“No no… just give it here….” He sounds a bit uncomfortable as he takes the bowl from her and starts to eat. She turns bright red and reaches over to the pitcher and takes the rag from it, ringing it out, and goes to rub it over his chest. He grabs her wrist and she goes pale. 

“Miss….please….you don’t need to do that. I can do it. Thank you.” He says as he lifts the bowl to his lips and starts to drink the broth and then hands her the bowl. “Is there anyway I could get two more of those.” She looks at him oddly but nods and scurries off. When she leaves he reaches over to grab the rag and start to clean his body some. Taking it over his dark hair and his neck before moving to his chest, back and arms. It felt good to clean up a bit and the water had a slight scent to it that put his body at ease. Closing his eyes he takes in the scent, allowing it to take over his body for a moment, lost in his own little world until he hears the soft voice again. It almost startles him as he opens his eyes to the girl staring at him again holding out two bowls. He tosses the rag to the pitcher and takes one.

“Thank you.” he smiles as he starts to eat again. Her eyes trailing over the tattoos and scars decorating his chest. She watches him, her face hot as she sits down beside him again.

“I am guessing you are fairly new at your job.” He says in between bites. She turns bright red looking at him. Stuttering for a moment until her mousy voice finally comes back.

“How…. how could you tell?” She says looking away. He chuckles a bit.

“Well…. Most ladies who have been doing this a while have a certain confidence. You blush and stammer anytime I make a movement. So, you are either terrified or new.” He starts to drain the bowl in his hand and set it down and take the other one. “But don’t worry. They always send the new ones to me. Everyone is unsure of what I’ll want or do. However, I am not going to touch you, so please just relax.”

“But if you aren’t going to do anything why are you here?” She asks, looking at him with wide eyes. He lets out a bit of a chuckle.

“Well to be honest, you tend to have the biggest and softest beds. And your food isn’t bad either.” He smiles brightly. She looks at him a little shocked and almost like she wasn’t sure how to process it. She reaches out to touch his chest. 

“Well, I am new. It's true. And the other ladies didn’t want to take you… but to be honest I find you very...attractive.” She says looking up at him. His face was completely red as he looked a bit nervous. 

“Well thank you, but I am alright. Please, if you wish to stay so you don’t have to work for anyone else this evening you are welcome to...but I’m not interested.” he says taking her hand off his chest. She looks at him a bit shocked as she is confused. He seemed almost nervous by her touch. She eyes him.

“Are you certain, or am I just not your type?” He finishes the bowl again and chuckles a bit. 

“Well, if I am being truthful, no you aren’t my type. I also don’t pay people for things like this. When I am with someone, I want them to be truthful with me. Not just saying what they know will get me to pay them better. I am flattered, but please, I have had a very long day. I am tired and sore. I enjoy talking with you though, so thank you for that.” He stands and walks over to one of his pouches and pulls out some gold. “Here, thank you for your time. If it helps you in any way you can tell the other ladies and the owner whatever lie you want.” He says with a laugh and gives her the money as well as a pat on the head. She still looked very confused as she looks at the money in her hands. “I am going to bed. Enjoy the rest of your night my lady.” He says as he waves her off and climbs into bed. She cleans the room and shuts the door. Not even a moment after the door closes his eyes shut and he drifts into a deep sleep. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He felt as if he had only closed his eyes for a second before he opened them again. The birds were singing and the morning sun was making its way through the cracks in the crooked hanging shutters, lighting the small room up enough that he was able to dress again without opening them further. Taking his time to stretch out his body before tossing his shirt back over his head. Tucking it in and donning his armor and strapping everything back into place. Checking his bags to make sure he had everything, he almost heads out the door before sighing and walking back in to tussle his hair around in the mirror. Frowning as it was all over the place, he dips his hand in the water and uses it to push it all to the right side. Seeing it looked marginally better he nods and leaves his room. Whispers follow him, as he leaves out the front door. Thorvald didn’t pay them much mind, as it was something he was quite used to. Making his way to the stable he fetches Magni and heads off towards the castle.

The rest of the journey is fairly uneventful as he rides through the more tamed countryside of Farleis. The view is beautiful, passing by small farms and quaint towns. The hills in the distance rolling in the orange sky almost like a painting. The closer he got to the castle the more towns and homes appear on the horizon, as the sky turns to a beautiful blue as the morning transforms to midday. They were making good time, only taking a quick stop for some food and water. They didn’t have to ride much further before they started to see flags lining the road, the golden sun of Previa looking as if it was almost glowing against the blue background. The streets almost immediately went from dirt roads to brick and cobblestone and began to steppen.

Leaning his weight to the front of Magni to help with traction they traveled up the hill. When they finally breached the top, the castle came into view. Large and well guarded it was hard to believe that this was not the capital of Farleis, but just one of the many kingdoms battling for power in the nation. This was the Kingdom of Previa, the king being one of the close advisers to the emperor of Farleis gave them power and wealth, which could be seen through the architecture of the castle. Many hours and funds had gone into making this castle beautiful as well as practical. The walls were sturdy and bore corbels of suns that almost seemed to glisten in the sunlight compared to the rest of the ashlar of the building. Beneath each sun another large banner of Previa was blowing in the breeze.

Riding up to the solid and beautifully crafted gates, Thorvald sees two guards in their shining Previa armor. All guards and most of the military in Previa had a gilded breast plate, as well as elaborate detailed bracers and greaves. Their helmets were almost cone shaped, and all of their armor shined brightly in the sun. Across their chest was a blue sash with suns embroidered into them. He stops in front of them before they even have to tell him. Reaching down into his saddle bag he pulled out his contract signed between him and the king and hands it to the men. 

“I am Thorvald Braus of the Blood Eagles. I have a contract with your king.” He says as they look at it and nod. He had been in and out of the kingdom frequently performing jobs for the king. The men knew his name and they let him in after seeing the official signature and seal of their king. 

Riding through the heavy gates a lovely stone courtyard spilled out in front of the castle itself. Keeping to the left side of the walls he shortly came to the stable. Dismounting and collecting the things he needed from the saddle bag, including his nice cape. A couple of stable boys arrive to try and take Magni. He instantly rears up and thrashes at them with his legs before Thorvald raises a hand to him as if to say it is okay. With a snort the horse lands back down on all fours and seems to relax. Thorvald smiles at the younger boys as he hands them the reins.

“Sorry about that. Magni is a bit finicky about who handles him.” The boys look at each other nervously before one of them reluctantly takes the reins. Thorvald reaches into his pouch to hand a couple coins to the boys and an apple to the big bay horse, and smiles as all three pairs of their eyes light up. They begin to pull Magni into the stable, the horse slowly following them but keeping his distance. 

Turning to head toward the castle he looks down to inspect his armor. He brushed off any debris he picked up on his journey in and adjusts his weapons to look a little more put together. He pulls his less tattered cape out from under his arm and attaches it to his armor as he walks into the castle. The royal blues and golds of the great hall dulling him even more. Almost as soon as he steps foot in the castle, he is approached by a man dressed in well fitted blue clothes with golden laces running the whole way from the hem of his shirt to his neck. His greying hair pulled back in a tight bun making his unpleasant features stick out even more. The man looked like he spent another lifetime as a spider.   
“ Back already, Thorvald?” He asked, his voice heavy with annoyance. Thorvald can’t help but roll his eyes as he looks down at the spindly man. 

“Yes Lord Randal. It was only a...small extermination mission. When you’re good at your job, you tend to get them done quickly. I am here to report and collect my reward. That is all.” He says trying his best to mock the other man’s regal tone. The older man’s face contorts to show his displeasure, not that it was pleasant in the first place. 

“Well the king is not with us at the moment, however his Highness Prince Lucas will be able to see you.” He turns away quickly walking towards the throne room. Thorvald smirks at the man's reaction and then follows him into a large open room. The room was immaculate, it was where the king greeted guests and heard the requests of his people. At the front of the room was a massive gilded throne with the sun symbol carved into it. A smaller but also beautifully detailed throne sat to the side of it. The walls had large windows, the top half being stained glass while the bottom half was clear to give a beautiful view of the gardens that surrounded this part of the castle. In between each window were elaborate and detailed tapestries of rulers who had come before and their weapon of choice or peice of their armor displayed on decorative pillars. The center of the room had a large mosaic sun that sat under a stained glass ceiling. Making the light in this part of the room, come down in a golden hue. Thorvald was taken with the beauty of the room every time he entered it. 

“Wait here while I fetch him. It might be a moment.” The man doesn’t even look at him as he yells it over his shoulder. His course voice snapping Thorvald back to the moment at hand. Once he can no longer hear the click of the man’s heels on the stone he starts to look around. Looking at the tapestries as he passes them one by one, impressed with the warriors depictions. Coming to the only opened window he sits down on the large ledge to look out. The view from the castle was always spectacular. He takes a deep breath and rests his back against the cold wall, his senses taking in the beautiful day. The trees were swaying rhythmically with the breeze and large fluffy clouds make their way across the sky taking turns blocking out the sun before letting it reappear. Under the window is the garden that was known all over the country, the rose garden. Previa was known for their dark blue roses, that didn’t grow anywhere else, the secret well preserved by the royal family. Closing his eyes, the scent fills his nostrils, they were both beautiful and strong, swirling together for one of the most unique and pleasant scents. Thorvald smiled as he thought of his mother, the roses reminding him of her. He could see her beautiful curls blowing in the gentle breeze, and the sun warming her skin. A sudden hushed noise caught his attention and brought him back to the moment. 

Hearing what he thought to be whispers coming from down below, his eyes searching the garden as they finally settle on a couple making their way to one side of the maze-like hedges. A servant gripping the hand of one of the handmaidens as they laugh and pull themselves around a corner. Almost tumbling into each other’s arms, the two lovers, thinking themselves alone, share passionate kisses and sweet words only their ears can hear. Thorvald raises his eyebrow as he leans back from the window, feeling as if he is almost intruding on their privacy, turning a bit to slide off the ledge to the ground. 

“Ah springtime. Always makes the heart grow restless.” 

Thorvald turns around quickly, instinctively reaching for   
his sword as he hadn’t even heard anyone walk into the large room. He is met by a pair of blue eyes situated above a playful smirk.

“Oh I’m sorry. I didn’t realise I could surprise a man like you?” The prince says his voice was like a song as laugher broke into his words. Thorvald a little embarrassed gives a polite bow before addressing the prince.

“I am here to make my report on the goblin mission I just completed. It went well all the goblins have been dispatched. There were more than originally expected, but I made sure that they were all taken care of.” He says in a very matter of fact tone in heavily accented Farleian. Farleian was mostly only spoken by the nobles of the kingdoms. Thorvald growing up on the woods just out of Farleis was able to pick up some of the tongue here and there. The king of Previa had kept him employed regularly for about 2 years, which allowed him to become almost fluent in the language. The prince smiles at him gently. 

“Well I am sorry to hear that there was more than you bargained for. I will be sure that your pay reflects the inconvenience. I, for one, am extremely appreciative of your work. Anything to keep the citizens safe should be held in high regard.” The prince smiles and pushes back a few escaping strands of his golden hair behind his ear. The rest of it tied back with a thin leather cord. His outfit tightly fitted and the beautiful royal blue color, with the gold lacing up his arms and chest. However, unlike the others in the castle the prince left the neck piece of his shirt unlaced, ties hanging a bit loosely from his neck. Thorvald had only seen the prince before in quick passing, dealing mostly with his father, this had been the first time they had truly met. With his comment Thorvald would normally roll his eyes, most royals only cared about looking good and not about the people they lorded over. However, the prince carries a certain conviction in his voice that causes Thorvald to listen to him seriously. 

“Thank you Prince Lucas. I appreciate your admiration.” He says ready to get on his way. The prince’s eyes scan him excitedly as if he had never been allowed to speak to other people. Thorvald stood easily a whole head or two taller than this man as he almost went to his tiptoes to look at his sword. 

“May I ask Mr. Braus. Do you by any chance know your lineage? I have never seen a person quite like you.” Thorvald is taken aback by the question as the prince steps closer to him. “Your eyes are stunning and I have never seen such a bright green, it is almost glowing. And not to mention your height and the slightly larger canines that I see.” The prince gently places a hand on his face as if he is inspecting a new gift for the first time. Thorvald’s face goes red as he grabs his hand gently and pulls away. This reaction causes the prince to back off and turn a bit red himself. 

“I apologies…I didn’t mean to overstep my bounds. I guess I allowed myself to get carried away.” Thorvald sees the embarrassment and decides to brush it off. Previan’s tended to be more affectionate than other cultures, Thorvald learning this after receiving a hug from the king after the completion of his first contract with him.

“I am afraid I am not exactly sure about my mother’s lineage. I am sorry if that doesn’t satisfy your question.” He says as he runs his tongue over the canine teeth. The prince is still looking over him curiously. “I will say, hopefully without offense, you are awfully curious, Prince.” he says as he looks back at the man about his age who seemed grateful for the conversation. 

“Well I don’t get to leave often, and my spirit hates being kept. I wish to see what is out there and see what real people live like. How can one truly know how to rule if he doesn’t understand the people living within his land? Every action, every treaty, every motive is affecting them way more than it would ever affect me.” He says looking longingly out the window, his hands clenching as he talks. He then turns his focus back on Thorvald. “I have to be honest with you, I have been excited to meet you. You have interested me since the day my father began utilizing your services. You are able to adventure and do as you wish. You have many interesting stories I am sure. All I speak of is trail rides on my horse and fighting practice.” He says sighing and shaking his head. “I am sure it all sounds so trivial coming from a person who has it all doesn’t it.” He speaks almost with a slight pain in his voice as his body almost physically braced for a reaction he feels will come. Thorvald feels his own curiosity grow, in all his time around nobles he had never met someone who spoke so genuinely and passionately. Before he could even wrangle in his thoughts, words of pity slipped from his mouth.

“Well perhaps I could share some stories, or even bring you accounts of the world.” His eyes widen as he looks for the person who spoke it and realises it was himself. The two share a confused look, a silence hanging in the air. The prince breaks it first by starting to laugh as he closes his eyes and a bigger almost goofy smile crosses his face.

“If it was not too much of an inconvenience I would like that very much!” Thorvald nods and and feels the corner of his mouth twists up in a bit of a smile at the other man’s joy. The laughter reminded him of his clan and his mind returned to business as he longed for the comfort of his home.

“If you wouldn’t mind, Prince Lucas, I would really like to return to my camp and rest a bit before your father assigns me another mission. I would like to get a head start on the journey, so if I could get my pay that would be great.” He says and he sees the prince revert to a more formal stance and a quick look of disappointment crosses his face. 

“Ah yes. How neglectful of me.” He reaches into one of the pouches on his side and grabs two velvet bags. He hands them to Thorvald, looking inside he can see this is double what he had agreed upon with his father. 

“For the trouble of having to track more than you bargained for.” He says with a wink and a playful smirk. Thorvald smiles and gives another slight bow.

“Thank you Prince. I am sure I will see you again before long.” He says as he stands up and starts to walk away. The prince waves to him and looks back out the window, a longing in his eye. Thorvald doesn’t stop until he reaches the stable to collect Magni, giving the stable boys a few extra coins he mounts up to return home. Making one last look back, he can see the faint outline of the prince watching from the high window.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!  
I hope you enjoy this first chapter! I first posted the bare bones and then came back and did a lot of editing... so please feel free to give feed back. But i hope you enjoy.  
Much Love,  
MocusPocus


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Throvald returns home to his camp to report after his mission. Allowing him to spend some time with his father and clan before heading out to another mission.

The journey back to camp was only about a day and a half ride. He could have made it sooner, but Thorvald preferred to take his time when he was traveling home. Stopping and chatting, tasting all different kinds of food. His job required making connections in the surrounding area. The more trust he gained and the more people who knew about him, the more likely he was to get hired. 

For most of the trip he traveled along the roads that passed through the different towns, eventually making his way to the woods. They provided a fair amount of cover and had been well traveled. He is able to follow these paths for a while before the woods start growing taller and darker. Most trails now traveled out of the woods but Thorvald diverts from the main trail to a less traveled and harder to see path. Magni carefully and skillfully picks his footing through the branches and roots. The deeper they creep into the woods the more uncertain the world seems to feel. While they haven’t traveled down a slope, it almost feels as if they are sinking deeper into the earth. If one was not used to traveling here it would be enough oddity to unnerve them. However, Throvald found comfort in this familiar place. After some time, there is a small spot in the woods that is open enough to have light pouring into it. Following the light trail with his eyes they fall upon a small pile of rocks. Letting out a sigh, Thorvald dismounts and approaches the pile. Taking a knee in front of it, he slowly places his hand on the rocks and murmurs words quietly, almost as if to himself. When the last word is muttered the ground starts to rumble and quake slightly. The trees almost seem to rotate and move opening up a path for him to continue traveling. Standing up he grabs Magni by the reins and leads them further into the twisting woods. It seemed as if everything around them was alive and watching after them. The fog was heavy, looking almost as if it was sparkling, and it constantly smelled like rain and moss. 

Thorvald didn’t have to walk much further before he was greeted with the typical excitement that happened in his camp. He was spotted and some of the men cry out to him and woop as they see him walk into camp. He offers a few greetings to them, but attends to Magni first. Making sure he is fed, brushed, and watered, before releasing him in a green meadow to run and enjoy the company of some of the other horses. Thorvald watches for a moment but then heads towards his tent. It was a decent size, his bed pressed to one side of the tent and a small table with two chairs in the middle of the room. Papers cluttered it as he sighs and pulls out a pitcher of wine and takes a long drink. After setting down his equipment, his focus shifts to the right side of the room. He makes his way across the room, taking off his traveling tunic as he goes. As he approaches his altar he picks up a small black jar. Carefully he uncorks the top and is met with a musty smell. He takes his fingers into the jar, until he feels the squish of the dark paste. Taking a deep breath he began to paint his body with the contents of the jar. His hands move as if on their own as images and symbols appear in his head, and his hands draw them out in response. These symbols and lines making their way across his chest and even up to his face. After a quick inspection of his body he sits down in front of his alter and focuses on his breathing, lighting a few candles. He takes his time meditating and sending thanks to his gods. He then focuses his attention on the goblins he exterminated, a sorrow filling him as he asks for their souls to rest. 

Swallowing deeply he focuses on these emotions. Breathing in and out and taking his time thinking and releasing his feelings into the earth. Good fighters needed to know their emotions and needed to work through them in order to be competent. This is something his father believed and passed onto him. 

The room fills with smoke from candles and incense as Thorvald is cast into a meditative state, his muscles relaxed and his mind humming. He looks around as he sits in the soft grass under a draping willow tree. The spindly branches and leaves tickling his body. As he stands up, he sees a beautiful waterfall that flows into a very still and clear pool. He walks over to the pool and puts his hands in. He lets the water wash over his face as he sits down on the shore to put his feet in. His body fully naked, the markings painted on him were gone, only his permanent markings in ink and blood are left. The water on his feet and legs feels cool and powerful as he slips the rest of his body into the water. From here he starts to call out to his Gods. He thanks them for their assistance in battle and the strength they give him, he thanks them for their protection and asks them to remain watching over him. He stayed in this place for a while, before finally coming out of his meditation. The sounds of the world around him slowly coming back to his ears. Drums pound in the background with the sound of laughter and crackling of fire. A smirk pulled at the corner of his mouth as he stands up. 

Leaving his tent he could see that he wasn’t the only one worshiping. His people were out enjoying the night and making the most of it. Drinks were flowing, fires roaring, many of the women had painted their bodies and were dancing around the fires. He stopped to watch for a moment or two as he made his way across camp. The women moved their bodies freely, almost as if to mimic the fire behind them. It didn’t take long for someone to see him and provide him with a drink. Eventually, he had to pull himself away from the crowd to make his way to his destination. On the far side of the camp a large tent was situated inside the woods, instead of in the clearing like the rest of them. This tent was bigger than any of the others, but not by much. Opening up the flap of the tent, he sees a burly man sitting at an altar. His dark hair cascaded over his shoulders and back in waves, and his beard was neatly combed. Thorvald smiles and moves inside sitting in a chair to wait for his father to break his meditation. Scrolls and loose papers were scattered all over his bed and desk, Thorvald picking up some and reading through the different monster hunting requests. Many of them coming from Previa. The image of the prince came to Thorvald’s head as he let out a sigh, while he never really cared much for royals he did feel sad for the prince. Thorvald couldn’t imagine a life where he wasn’t free to roam and see the world. 

“Seems they are quite fond of you in Previa. I can’t even respond to one before another comes in.” A gruff voice speaks followed by the sound of shifting as he lifts himself from the ground. Thorvald standing with a smile as he pulls his father into a strong embrace. “I missed you, my son.” He says before the two break apart and he ruffles his sons short hair. He laughs and backs away, almost pushing the other man away from him. 

“Yeah Yeah I missed you too.” He says with a smile and plops down on the bed. “The mission went well, but there were more goblins than they originally said. I was pretty exhausted after it all.” He says letting out a sigh and falling backwards onto the bed. “The king was absent when I was presenting. I was seen by the Prince. He’s sort of an... odd fellow.” He says looking up at his father fanning through papers.

“I have heard that Prince Lucas is a bit free spirited. He wants to travel and explore, but his father keeps a firm hand on him. It is his only son after all.” He says chuckling to himself. “You might be like him, if I wasn’t so kind as to let you roam.” Thorvald rolls his eyes.

“Let me roam, you were training me as soon as I could hold up a sword. I am sure it doesn’t crush at all.” He says as he sits up in bed and helps by starting to organise the papers splayed out on the bed. His father lets out a sigh.

“Well, it does pain me to send you out there, but I know that you are one of the best. You can handle yourself, and I don’t think your mom would let much happen to you anyways. Besides, I think you would drive us both crazy if you weren’t allowed to explore.” He eyes him over his paper with a playful smile. “You’re a bit of a mad man when you stay in one place for too long.” Thorvald can’t help but nod and laugh along with his father.

“Well you have no one to blame but yourself. You filled my mind with these wild fantasies.” He says as he finds an interesting request just a little outside of Previa. He holds it up to his father who squints his eyes at it to examine it. He waves it away with his hand. 

“Yes you can have it, but at least relax a day or two. You will kill yourself if you keep rushing around at that speed.” 

“I’m young. I can afford to push myself like this. Besides I want to see as much of the world as I can.” He slides his butt of the bed and to the rug on the floor. Lifting his arms up to his head as he leans back against the bed. His father contains the laughter as he watches his son changing positions yet again. This child never ceased his movement. 

“Yes I know, but you will burn out quickly if you don’t take some down time at least. I know you have been spacing out your travel, but relaxation is a good thing.” Arvid watches as his son closes his eyes a moment clearly not interested in what he was saying. “You are so wired, you need to find someone to calm you down.” Thorvald’s eyes shoot open and his face turns bright red. He reaches up to grab a pillow and toss it at his father.

“Shut it old man!” He calls out as he tucks his red face into his hands. His father dodges the pillow and laughs at his flustered son. He slowly rises from his chair and puts a hand on his son’s shoulder.

“Come on boy, the night is early and I have yet to drink.” Thorvald smiles as he takes his father’s hand and stands up. He was now almost a head taller than his father but not nearly as broad. His father pushed him toward the door as the two walk into the crowd of their camp.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading this chapter! This is an original work that has a very soft spot in my heart. I am having such a blast writing it and I hope you enjoyed it! Please feel free to leave comments or message me I would love to hear from you!  
Much Love,  
MocusPocus

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I am extremely excited to put out the first chapter of my original work! I really would love to hear your thoughts on my story so far. I will update if it gets any interest. Thorvald is based off of one of my D&D characters. I started playing him and writing his backstory and fell in love with him and his story. I hope to bring an interesting and adventurous story with him. I hope you enjoy!  
Much Love,  
MocusPocus


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